Dear Lifehacker,
I suck at buying gifts, and I know too many people who just don't seem to want anything. How can I give better gifts without resorting to gift cards or traditionally "man gifts" that no one really likes?

Sincerely,
Gift Grump

Dear Gift Grump,
I think everyone has at least one person in their lives that's impossible to shop for, and a number of people that are just difficult to get gifts for in general, no matter the occasion. That said, it's not impossible to crack those tricky gifting puzzles and pick up something they'd enjoy. You just have to be willing to get creative about the process. Here's what we mean.

Do A Little Harmless Stalking

The internet is a powerful tool to learn about someone, and while we would hope you don't learn something you didn't want to know, there are plenty of ways to harmlessly learn about people or profile them a bit so you understand them a little better. Check out what they've said on Facebook or Twitter. Check out the pages they've liked recently on Facebook, or items they've posted to Tumblr or Pinterest, whatever they use. Photo by Yohann Legrand.

Even if the person you're shopping for is a family member you know very well, they may be willing to tell the anonymous crowds on the internet (or their chosen circle of friends online) about interests that they may not share with you. Be careful not to judge however; you already run the risk of learning something they don't want you to know. If you're tactful and doing this because you care and want to give the perfect gift, you're coming at it from the right place.

Ask Friends and Family

Of course, you could always ask the person's friends or family members what they might like as a gift: even if they're in the dark too they may have ideas or be willing to go in with you on a more expensive item that they know your recipient will really enjoy. Similarly, family specifically may have insight that you don't, like the recipient's favorite food or something they've been planning to buy for themselves for a while. Plus, if they know you're planning on giving them a truly meaningful gift, they'll likely spill the beans and (hopefully) keep your secret.

Offer Experiences Instead of Gifts

If you're really stumped on what to buy someone, consider offering them an experience instead of an object that'll take up space in their lives. If you're close to that person, make it something you can enjoy with them. Now is a good time for some cheap cold-weather vacations, so maybe a trip to Vegas or a cruise is in order. Alternatively, try to think less of something that your gift recipient has always wanted, and think instead of something they've always wanted to do. Even if it's a hike through a nearby national park, tickets to a band they love or a night for them and their spouse at a jazz club, giving experiences that they'd enjoy instead of just objects make better—and more memorable—gift ideas.

Give the Gift of Subscriptions

We mentioned giving the gift of subscriptions when we rounded up our gift suggestions for premium web services. A domain name, a free year to a service your recipient already uses, or even a prepaid Netflix subscription or Amazon Prime subscription is a gift that your friend or loved one can use all year. Your subscription doesn't have to be to a webapp or service, either. If your recipient is a food, wine, or coffee lover, consider a subscription to an "of the month club" that matches their interests. I've been renewing a magazine subscription for my best friend every year that I gifted to him something like 8 years ago, and he still reads every issue. To that point, giving the gift of a subscription opens the door to you giving the same subscription again the following year if they really appreciated it.

Give Crafty, Handmade Gifts That Mean Something

Similarly, break free of the idea that the only gifts that are worth anything are the ones you have to run out and buy. Instead, consider giving something handmade and useful, like those DIY bitters for the bartender in your life, or any of these DIY gift ideas. Food items make great DIY gifts, because you can make a lot of them and give them to multiple people. Maybe some handmade jams or jellies, an infused vodka or gin (or some other home-rolled liqueur,) or a bag of homemade candied ginger is in order. We're not suggesting you go and knit a scarf or sweater, that'd be cliche. A thoughtful crafted gift that isn't the usual is something that your recipient will appreciate, treasure, and hopefully use up so they don't have yet another item cluttering up their lives. If you want to buy, head to Etsy and shop around for something unique. Bonus: if you do well and make something really great, they'll love it so much they'll want to know how you did it—or they'll ask you to make more next year. Photo by Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Turn to the Web and Make Gift Searching Fun

If you're still stuck, you can find a little inspiration in a number of web services designed to spark some gift ideas and help you figure out what to give the people closest to you. Here are a few to check out:

What F**king Gift Should I Buy? takes a fun approach to finding the perfect gift if you're having a hard time digging up gift ideas. Warning though, cursing abounds, but so do great gift suggestions for all types of people.

I've Got 99 Problems but a Gift Ain't One is also fun, and while the recipients they suggest are off the wall, the gifts themselves are really interesting and unique—things I wouldn't have considered giving. Some of them are useful, some are funny.

Amazon's Gift Central helps you with gift suggestions for people based on their relationship to you and their interests, assuming you know. Of course, they also make it easy to buy directly. The problem though is that a lot of the gift suggestions (power tools for Dad, for example) are incredibly cliche.

Etsy, as we mentioned, is a great source for handmade and unique crafted gifts that anyone will love. You can search for just about any interest or item to get started, but if you need suggestions Etsy has a gift idea page to get you started.

Remember, sometimes the reason someone is so difficult to buy for is because they already have what they want, or they're the most familiar with their hobby, so you trying to buy something you don't understand will result in disaster (anyone who loves technology knows what I mean here. We've all had friends or family who meant well, but inevitably bought us a cheap knockoff version of something we actually wanted, or a handy gadget that isn't compatible with the things we have.)

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When you're really stumped for a gift idea, don't hesitate to do a little digging or try something off the wall that you wouldn't have normally considered for the person. If you're tired of that kind of digging entirely or just would rather start making instead of researching, try giving experiences or crafted gifts. With luck, everyone on your list will love what they unwrap from you.